There are plenty of licensed video games slated for release, including Indiana Jones, Wonder Woman, and Dune: Awakening. But few of these licenses feel as perfectly matched to the developer attached as IO Interactive does with the upcoming Project 007. Thanks to an executive at the Copenhagen-based developer, we now know a few details regarding the super-secretive game based on Ian Fleming’s beloved universe of espionage and international intrigue.
IO Interactive’s chief development officer Veronique Lallier revealed specifics about the development of the Hitman developer’s upcoming James Bond game in a comprehensive interview with GamesRadar about surviving the current troubled state of the games industry. While many other developers have been wrestling with ballooning budgets and layoffs, IO Interactive has been expanding its team by over 100 people. It marks a stark difference in how the developer is weathering the storm.
Lallier, who started in games working as an intern for Ubisoft in the late 90s, had plenty of sage advice regarding sustainable game development. One of those elements is keeping the focus of the game lean, particularly early on in development. She said developers can do this by using elements and knowledge from prior projects to bolster new ones.
She said it is key to “always look at what you can use, in terms of evolution, to help you better optimize your output.” In the case of the 007 game, much of what the team has built for the recent Hitman trilogy seemingly works as a great starting point.
“It’s so close to our DNA that it just feels seamless,” Lallier explained in the interview, explaining that Agent 47’s exploits have created a strong foundation for a game that fits the legendary MI-6 Agent to a tee. Lallier suggested that working on a 007 game wasn’t some decree from executives who have a distinct relationship from the people actually making the games.
“I see a development team as the most successful is not when you shove on them [on] an IP,” she said. “It’s when you’re engaging with your dev team and say ‘Ok, what should we do guys?’”
“The team is so happy, it’s such an honor to be able to work on such an IP,” Lallier added.
The public has yet to see anything from IO’s Project 007 since its reveal three and a half years ago. All we know is that it will be a kind of origin story for the titular hero and that Bond himself won’t be played by any of the actors who’ve played him before. Considering the developer’s pedigree, an open-ended, mission-based stealth action game like Hitman already seemed like the perfect direction for James Bond-like exploits. A Hitman game with levels big enough to accommodate car chases in slick, expensive vehicles, and time to let off a few sauve (or cringe) one-liners sounds like a truly generational James Bond experience.
IO Interactive has a lot of non-MI-6-related things to look forward to. IO is working on a game dubbed “Project Fantasy.” The game seems to be a huge departure from the gritty world of stealth, globe-trotting, and high-profile eliminations. Lallier said the company is “not in a position yet to share too much,” but called the game a vibrant passion project for the studio. She also confirmed that there will be an online mode to the game.
As far as the Hitman franchise goes, Lallier promised that more updates in the form of limited-time elusive targets are set for later this year. The elusive targets of Hitman: World Of Assassination are typically portrayed by real-life celebrities that players must track down and eliminate for a high score. The most recent elusive target, named The Disruptor, was portrayed by MMA fighter Conor McGregor.
